Maharashtra: Opposition parties welcome Bhagat Singh Koshyari's exit as governor

The Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Congress on Sunday welcomed the exit of Bhagat Singh Koshyari from the post of Maharashtra governor, with NCP chief Sharad Pawar saying the state is now relieved, but the decision to replace him should have been taken much earlier by the Centre.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also expressed similar views, while Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party will learn how costly this (decision to replace Koshyari after much delay) would prove for it in the forthcoming elections.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson on Sunday said President Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignation of Koshyari.

Ramesh Bais, who was the governor of Jharkhand, has been appointed governor of Maharashtra, the official said.

Koshyari, who has been in the line of opposition fire over his remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji, said last month that he had conveyed his desire to quit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that he would like to spend the remainder of his life reading, writing and in other activities.

Koshyari, 80, took charge as Maharashtra governor in September 2019 at the time of a political turmoil in the state following Shiv Sena severing its ties with the BJP.

He had administered the oath of office to Devendra Fadnavis as the chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as the deputy chief minster in a shock early morning ceremony, but that government lasted only three days.

When the Uddhav Thakeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi was in power, he had several run-ins with the government on a range of issues, including the appointment of 12 members to the state legislative council from the gubernatorial quota, which he never approved. The MVA had accused him of acting in a partisan manner.

The latest controversy surrounding Koshyari was about his remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whom he described as the "icon of olden times". The remarks triggered protests from the opposition parties, who demanded that he be sacked.

Reacting to the government's decision to replace Koshyari, NCP chief Pawar said, “Maharashtra is relieved now. It is a very good decision, but should have taken much earlier. The state in its history has never seen such a person on this post. I am content with the Union government's decision.” Shiv Sena (UBT) chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said Koshyari's resignation was accepted as a part of the Union government's routine changes in several states.

"The Union government waited for his tenure to get completed and then made the changes showing it as a routine change. I do not consider it as some special favour being shown to Maharashtra. Going by his controversial comments on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Savitribai Phule, he should have been removed from the post much earlier,” the Rajya Sabha member told reporters.

Maharashtra Congress president Patole claimed the Raj Bhavan of Maharashtra had become the "BJP Bhavan".

"I was consistently making the point that he should be removed, but he resigned and his resignation was accepted. It is in a way showing respect to him, and now the BJP will learn how costly it would be for them in the coming elections. People will take the revenge for such acts (for the late decision to replace him),” Patole further claimed.

State NCP chief Jayant Patil in a tweet said, “I hope the new governor would not be a puppet of the BJP like the previous one (Koshyari). We welcome the decision of the Union government to change the Maharashtra governor as it was the demand of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.” “The previous governor had lowered the stature of his post by making controversial remarks against social icons from the state as well as conducting swearing in ceremony of the current unconstitutional state government. We welcome the news of appointment of a new governor of Maharashtra,” he added.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray also welcomed Koshyari's resignation.

“Big win for Maharashtra! The resignation of anti Maharashtra Governor has finally been accepted,” he tweeted.

“He, who constantly insulted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotiba Pule and Savitri bai Phule, our Constitution, Assembly & democratic ideals, cannot be accepted as a Governor,” the MLA said in the tweet.

Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant also took to Twitter to react to the development and claimed there was little hope from the new governor of the state.

"The Modi government is morally downgrading constitutional institutions and some BJP leaders also. People's collective pressure has brought down several autocratic regimes and it is (people's pressure) growing constantly (in the country) as well," he said.

"Koshyari's tenure as governor of Maharashtra was lowering the stature of the governor's post. He alone cannot be blamed for his deeds, more problematic is the RSS culture, their line of thinking and pressure of the Modi government,” Sawant claimed.

The Congress leader said it would be good as he (Koshyari) can now engage in some moral work instead of "harassing opposition leaders and crossing limits." NCP MLC Amol Mitkari alleged Koshyari worked as a "full-time worker of the BJP" when he was in office.

He claimed the central government realised that allowing Koshyari in the office would have led to protests by the Opposition in the upcoming Budget session of the state legislature.

"The Centre took the call sensing that the Opposition might create a ruckus after Koshyari's speech (joint address to both Houses of the state legislature). They realised the Opposition will not allow him to enter the Kolhapur University," he said.

"We are happy that the man who had insulted icons of Maharashtra has resigned," Mitkari said, and expressed hope that Koshyari's successor Ramesh Bais will respect great personalites of Maharashtra and the state sentiment.